419 scam: "MR. GEORGE PUN" <ministry.10001@gmail.com> Urgent Attention From Western Union Head Office

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22998439279 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. GEORGE PUN" <ministry.10001@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wum_transfer@ymail.com
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2012 21:24:55 +0600 (BDT)
Subject: Urgent Attention From Western Union Head Office

HSC 1894 WESTERN LONDON ROAD
KOFO ABAYOMI VICTORIA ISLAND
BENIN REPUBLIC
NAME: MR. GEORGE PUN
REF: CBN/IRD/-NY-CBX/021/12
RE: RSVX /07342/01/11
WESTERN UNION INSTALLMENT PAYMENT ONLY.
E-mail(wum_transfer@ymail.com)

Attention,
Security payment Identification Number: XWUNTM000182

This is to officially inform you that we have verified your contract
Unclaimed file presently on my desk, and we found out that you have not
received your payment due to lack of co-operation and not fulfilling the
obligations giving to you in respect to your winning Unpaid from the
BRITISH NATIONAL LOTTERY OFFICE.

Your Lottery Over-due payment, please confirm for immediate release. Get
back to me immediately for necessary steps concerning your award winning
Funds. Sequel to your none reply of my earlier email to you dated today.
On behalf of the Trustees and Executors to your winnings file of Funds
month ago, I wish to notify you that your name And Email Address appeared
in the central computing system in our ministry as the rightful owner for
the unpaid beneficiary as the statement of the Funds and your entitled
part payment of your total Winning funds of $2,000,000.00 Million through
Western Union Money Transfer System CHRISTMAS celebration in this New Year
season as authorized by Federal Ministry of Finance and Federal Reserve,
with the Central bank.

After the Law Enforcement Judgment between the UNITED NATION ORGANIZATION
Agent Miss Algid Betty wiz and Compensation finance head office, The
meeting held today, with the aforementioned Office and Banks, the
Concluded arrangement has appointed our office (Western Union Money
Transfer) to pay your unpaid fund through western union electronic system
for your easy pickup and to avoid further unforeseen delay that could make
your fund not to get to you in a timely manner.

The Management of the UNITED NATION ORGANISATION HEAD BRANCH here in West
LONDON have submitted your name, city and country information's to our
office for endorsement & daily activation of your payment which has been
programmed to be transferred under installment at rate of $5,000 United
States America Dollars daily as Western Union laws here does not allow
transferring funds above $5,000 at once from this country to another, but
will be sending under installment of $5,000 daily till the amount is
completely paid.

WE HAVE TODAY TRANSFERED 5,000 USD ON YOUR NAME AND ITS AVAILABLE FOR PICK
BY RECIEVER. HERE IS THE WESTERN UNION INFORMATION

Sender's First Name=== Peter
Sender's Last Name== Leen
MTCN === 102.128.5837

INFORMATION USE TO SEND THE MONEY $105

Receiver’s Name ;;;;;; MBANEFO JOSEPH
Country ;;;;;; Benin Republic.
City ;;;;;;; Cotonou.
Text Question ::::::::::: Honest?
Answer :::::::::::::::::Trust.
Amount To Send::::::::::$105 USD.

TO CONFIRM YOUR PAYMENT KINDLY DIAL THE TOLL FREE NUMBER +22998439279.
AND PUT IN THE MTCN 10 DIGIT NUMBER (MTCN_102.128.5837) TO CONFIRM THE
AVAILABILTY OF YOUR FUNDS WHICH WAS SENT TO YOUR NAME

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU CAN NOT RECIEVE YOUR FUNDS UNTILL YOU MAKE THE
DEPOSIT OF ($105) USD BEING FOR THE (ACTIVATION AND ENDORSMENT FEES)BEFORE
YOU CAN START RECIEVING YOUR FUNDS OF 5,000 USD EVERYDAY VIA WESTERN UNION
MONEY TRANSFER OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC COTONOU,

(HERE IS ANOTHER OPTION:YOU CAN ALSO RECIEVE YOUR FUNDS IN CASH PAYMENT IN
OUR BRANCH OFFICE IN BERLIN GERMANY WHERE YOU WILL BE PAID FACE TO FACE IN
OUR OFFSHORE OFFICE AND HAVE YOUR FUNDS CASH PAYMENT

Secondly, you are hereby advice to stop dealing with your present
transaction, they are Fraudulent Offices and the non-officials member of
the Bank as this is an illegal act and you have to stop further
communication, if you wish to receive your payment immediately through the
Western Union Office.

You will pick up YOUR 1ST payment at any western union office nearest to
you as soon as you send the ($105USD) endorsement & daily activation file
fee today.
WE ARE UNABLE TO DEDUCT MONEY OUT FROM THE WINNINGS, BECAUSE YOUR WINNING
CERTIFICATE HAS BEEN ISSUED.

SECTION A
You are advised to re-confirm to me your details as required below to
enable the release of your payment total funds worth $2,000,000.00 Million
dollars to you as a matter of urgency with the required below details
immediately you are ready to send the ($105.)

(1). Re-confirm your full names:
(2). Re-confirm Contact address:
(3). Re-confirm valid Phone #:
(4). Fax:
(5). Age:

SECTION B
We wish to inform you based on a lot of junks mail flying over the
internet and some people are using advantage to collect account
information from people on internet for fraudulent purpose, that is while
it was assigned and approved by International Monetary Fund (IMF) that
your payment will come through Western Union Money Transfer system and
also your funds as been programmed to be release to you through western
union, twice a day, after collection.

As soon as the above are provided, Western Union department in conjunction
with Federal Ministry of Finance will contact you with the Western Union
Payment information to enable you cash your money daily. The amount you
will be receiving twice per day is US$5,000.00 and the MTCN number will be
sending along with the Text Questions & Answers for you to receive your
fund through any Western Union Location in your Country due to IMF
Control, IRS and Home Land Security.

Our Regards and we are sorry for the inconvenience please bears with us.
Thanks for your co-operation and Waiting to hear from you soonest.

We look forward to serving you better.

BEST REGARDS,
NAME: MR. GEORGE PUN
WESTERN UNION PAYMENTS
FOREIGNOPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam